Ever since I completed a 'baby' ultra and covered 50km, I've been getting closer to the ultra running community, a small but close group of people. Anyways, I was in touch with Jake Catterall last night, a fella who covered 200km in 27 hours. Let that sink in, please. 200K. 27 hours, non-stop.
The man tells me that he had an absolute meltdown at 150km, and really struggled for the remaining 50K!? What figures are we talking about here? How is that stuff possible? He ploughed on, followed by his crew and guys with cameras. He says a lot of it is in your head, which every distance runner knows. But still, 200km? To say things like brave and remarkable would be an understatement.
This confirms what I suspected long ago. We can train hard but until the puzzle pieces in our heads align, we will not make it. I am not saying that if we can all convince ourselves to run 200K we can do it, but I know that within our abilities all is possible if we set our minds to it.
As I was finishing my 50K I knew that I had at least another 10K in the tank, maybe even a half marathon. I decided to stop at 50km because I was in the uncharted waters, I wasn't going to dice with the unknown. Yet.
However, he was really surprised and complimented me because unsupported ultras are rare and mine was just me on my own. I had nobody to help me with supplies, no doctor if things went south, I was alone, as madmen normally are. Not sure how sane that was but I'll do it again. They say that from 50K onwards 75K is the next relatively easy step and from there nothing can stop you to a 100K. Of course, once you've done a 100K you will go for a 100 miles and then.....I better stop here. I don't have time to train for it anyway. Yet.
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mrrun
Ultramarathon
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Those guys tend to have simplistic ways of encouraging you through hints and tips. I asked a guy who went across the Rockies about fueling, hydration and general approach. 'Run flats and downs, walk inclines. Eat and drink at fuel stations. Make sure you eat your own stuff.' And that's it. They simply assume that distances are taken for granted. Clearly, it works.
Yeah, apparently that's where the difference is. Some people take their time and simply cross great distances but they will rest and sleep in the process. Then you have another side that simply go and don't stop except for the necessities like food and loo breaks. But they keep those stops to a minimum. Crazy. And not completely devoid of risks, irrespective of the support teams. In Sahara race they are left to their own devices and only get seen at the stops. You carry all of your gear. Not so keen on that, to be frank.
Imagine running next to M1, lol. Those guys tend to pick up scenic routes through hills and mountains. Although, the state you are in after a while means that you wouldn't be able to make a difference between running in circles in your own room and running across the Midwest plains, chased by a pack of wolves. Apparently, you reach the stage where hallucinations take over. Oh boy....
That is just amazing! I cannot comprehend running that far in one go. I was supposed to do 50k rttk this year but it was not to be. 200k is just bonkers! However, I like their thinking of running flats and downhills whilst walking the uphills! Alongside a picnic every 10k of course 🤣
The elite guys simply go, no picnics there. I get that point but sleep deprivation is something else. If I don't get my sleep I'm crankier than......(insert here who you think is very cranky).... They seem to be able to overcome that little problem by tripping through it.
Hope you're not asking me that question!!! I definitely don't have the answer.
I do know it's a flippin slippery slope though ... the next milestone is never very far away and twinkles away persistently. Good luck with your 'toddler' ultra 😀
Haha, thank you. I think it leads to that idea of peace through a type of loneliness. I'm not a quiet guy in any company, far from shy in any sense. But when it comes to deep quality time, let me be on my own. And the longer the run, the more 'alone' you get. 😉🤪
I have absolutely no idea, some sort of magic I assume 😳...but then I feel the same about you having run 50km!
That said, at least with a 50 you can get a good night's sleep before and take a nap after if you're exhausted where as at that silly distance sleep must just be something to fantasize about while continuing to plod on!
Amazing or insane, I'm not sure which?! Maybe both 😏
Lol. It's all about mental adjustment (on top of some serious training). 50k is just 8k longer than marathon and half marathon is half a job done already 😉. For me, anything that can be squeezed within and up to 10-15 hours of moving sounds doable. 27 hours is something else. But, those guys are extremely strong physically and mentally. No doubt.
It's a brilliant distance, actually. Go easy, slow down and look after your legs. For my ultra I was going around 80km weekly with 'killer' weekends (16K Saturdays and 32K Sundays, back to back). Those guys train in a similar way but when you look at most of them it's clear that they are physically on another level. Still, you need to start from somewhere, and you are doing it great!
What made my ultra 'easier' was the fact the marathon was 'just' one of my training distances so, in a way, psychologically, it's taken out of your 'problem' list. When I passed 42km on the day, I nearly didn't register it. It was just a 'phase', a 'section'. Once your brain is adjusted that way and you crack a new distance, the new distance stops being a novelty. I saw that ultra as something that is 'just 8km longer than a marathon. For as long as you train your body physically, the brain will do the rest and take you to another level. Fun and games, eh?
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